Assessing sensitivity of subsurface mine-dewatering activities to climate change

Subsurface dewatering is critical to the safe and economic operation of mines. Operational planning for dewatering often necessitates advanced numerical models for accurate prediction and requires a well-defined understanding of the regional geology, hydrology and hydrogeology, and how this influences infiltration of groundwater into mining pits and underground galleries as well as sources of recharge. It is predicted that increased climate variability will cause significantly different precipitation intensities and patterns, including the timing and duration of snowmelt events, which will impact infiltration volumes and timing. The objective of this work is to quantify the impact of changing climate conditions on predicted mine dewatering volumes and environmental impacts using hydrological models.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andrea Brookfield

Student:

Partner:

BluMetric Environmental Inc

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Mining; Water; Environmental Science and Technology

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: